COS (close of service) and getting ready to go home??

I feel like time goes double fast on my blog.  I honestly thought it was just a couple weeks ago that I wrote, turns out it's been almost a month...

Well I just arrived back from our COS conference in Tumbaco.  In this conference we talked about returning home, all the work that involves finishing a government job.  We also had a couple sessions where they gave us some really good resources for job searching, interviews etc.

It was really great seeing the other volunteers.  Of the 61 that arrived in June 2011, we are now a group of 45 volunteers.  So fun to hear everyone's plans.  Everyone is really over all over the board in terms of plans.  A couple staying, one getting married to an Ecuadorian, many going back to work, some going back to do more school.  Our health group made a card and printed out some fotos for our program manager and Bibi, who was the training leader for us and now has moved to being the head trainer for all of peace corps ecuador.  There were tears, many of joy and agradecimiento (thankfullnes??)  After that everyone went to an italian place that served us all you can eat pizza, pretty good. Parmer, our country director gave us certificates and after a group of us went out in cumbaya to go dancing.  We had the place to ourselves seeing as it was wednesday, except for a few creepers, but lets be honest, that just adds to the ecua-ness of the night :)

Sharon and I then left on thursday around 4:30 AM to head back to Ambato for our girls group.  Ahh the things we do for these girls!  We assigned them their parts for our final performance of the little red hen and practiced the dance over, and over and OVER.  They are picking it up and as we start meeting twice a week I think things will really move along.

Today Sharon and I met to cut out the fabric for the little skirts we are going to make for the contra dance and so im hoping to drop off the stuff so Chino's grandma can sew together the elastic, etc..

I am leaving tomorrow for Santo Domingo to help out in a brigade.  This will be my second year with them and Im excited to see who they've brought in terms of a medical team.  After Santo Domingo things hopefully will go back to normal.  A couple days a week at the University, two days a week with the girls and preparing for my departure from ecuador.

Still hot here, hope home is getting warmer, but isn't too hot and humid when I get back :)